Forever and Ever: After Titanic
by Rednight
Summary: The life of Jack and Rose Dawson from 1912 till Rose's death. Despite the title, it's not all that sappy.
1. The Letter Sent

In a small, crowded apartment in New York, Rose Dawson sat in at an old table in her small kitchen. Which only consisted of a wood stove, a sink that barely worked, and an old ice box. Her husband of two months, Jack Dawson, paced back and forth. Running his hands through his now short hair.

"Jack, it's alright, it really--" Rose lied.

"No, Rose. I'm not having my baby grow up somewhere like this. I won't let it happen. And don't tell me it's alright. No one want's this for their children."

"Jack we can't do anything else! We have no money, your barely making enough to keep… this," Her voice raised, she trough up her hands to indicate the apartment. "Why can't we just go to Wisconsin, I'm sure we can--"

"I've told you a million times! I cant go back there, Rose!" He had stopped pacing, and was now yelling.

"It has nothing to do with can't! You WON'T go back." She was now on her feet.

"You don't understand! There's nothing there, Rose! It's all farming! You think want to be a farmer?" He leaned in to her with his hand pointing at himself, and a angry look on his face. He stood in that pose for several seconds before shaking his head, and walking out.

Rose sat in the hard chair, crying into the white and brown dress she had been given by the Red Cross, after Titanic.

She stumbled out into the other half of the room, which held a brass bed and a couch that had stuffing falling out. She laid herself on the thing covers of the bed, letting her tears soak the pillow. She gently put her hand on her abdomen, and gave a sad smile. This was not what she wanted for her baby in the least bit.

Several hours later, Rose awoke to see the little electric light turned on, and Jack scribbling away. At first she gave a faint smile, thinking Jack was drawing again. Which she had discovered had been a habit of his when he became stressed. There were at least fifty papers piled up in a corner, all with sketched on both sides. But her smile turned into a look of curiosity, when she realized that that was the sound of writing, not drawing.

"Darling, what are doing?" She sat up in the bed.

"Writing. Writing a letter to my aunt in Holland."

"Your aunt in Holland? I didn't know you had an aunt in Holland." She said.

"Yeah, well, we don't know many things about each other, do we?"

"No, I suppose not. I'll stop bothering you." she laid back in the bed, facing the opposite direction.

"I'm sorry Rose, I… never wanted to resort to this. But it's are only choice." He laid the pen down, and began to walk towards the bed.

Rose sat up, "Resort to what? What's happening?" Jack sat on the bed putting his hand on her shoulder. "My mother has a sister in Holland. They were always close. She told me, that if I ever needed anything, to contact her. I… I had thought about it so much after my folks died, I memorized the address. Good thing too, because the piece of paper it was written on is on the bottom of the ocean," He gave a slight laugh, "I'm asking if she can help us… it's our last hope."

This, and the next few chapters are a bit short. They'll get longer, though. R&R!


	2. To a New Life

AN: The Whole Trip will be in this chapter, to knida' make it longer. We all hate one paragraph chapters.

One Month Later.

"Rose! Rose! We've gotten a letter back!" Jacked rushed into the small apartment, mail in his hands.

"From who? Oh, of course. Quickly, read it, Jack!"

"It's in Dutch, you won't--"

"I've already told you, I know Dutch!"

"Oh, yeah, right. Sorry"

"Dear Jack, As soon as I received your letter, I immediately began this reply. But, I must say, I can not believe your married. I haven't seen you since you were just a baby! But down to business. I see how your predicament is quite precarious! In your letter, you asked if there was anything I could possibly do. I could send you money, Jack. But money only last so long, I want you to come to Holland. You and your wife. And the child, of course. Now, I know you are probably thing the idea is absurd, but just keep reading. You have expressed your fondness in art, which is surly inherited from your grandfather. Jack, I am now a fifty year old women. I can no longer care for the Gallery. I was, as you know, never married. I have no children, and I will must likely have to sell the Gallery. This would be a great sadness for me, as it's been run by our family since my grandfather. It need's someone like you Jack. Again, I know this is short notice, but I will pay for everything. Your passage, and even a new wardrobe. Your family should not have to live like that…," Jack stopped reading the letter, "No, I don't want--"

Rose stood up immediately, "Jack, it's not charity. We need this… an art gallery, Jack…"

"Dear Aunt Hanna, After much discussion with my wife, we've decided to accept your offer. I would like to start working as soon as possible…

July 20, 1913

Rose, Jack, Thomas, and Jack's aunt Hannah stood next to the great S.S. Imperator of the Hamburg American Line.

Rose stood in a blue boarding outfit, holding her son of six months in her arms. Jack was wearing a brown suite, and matching bowler hat. As Thomas smiled, and aunt Hannah bragged about how the ship was the biggest in the world, _'Even bigger than the Titanic ever was', _Rose and Jack stared at the incredibly large three stacker with dread. The ship was made even more over whelming by a large gold eagle on the bow of the ship. They had originally thought that aunt Hannah would of booked one of the smaller, but still elegant, ships of the Holland-America Line. This would also have been much more convenient.

"Why on Earth do you two look so gloomy? This is the biggest ship in the world, and it's a beautiful day!"

"It's just we're a bit shooken up about the whole… Titanic disaster, Aunt Hannah."

She looked at them with a look of utter amusement, "Why, that was well over a year ago! My, my, my, this ship has plenty of lifeboats. There is no need to worry. Anyhow, what are the chances that the same exact thing would happen. That would be a terrible coincidence! Be more like Thomas…"

Rose gave Jack a small smile, "She does have a point, Jack."

"Of coarse I have a point. Anyhow, it was mainly steerage who died. We'll be in first class, of coarse. Now come along." As she walked away, Rose's smile was wiped clean. Her and Jack stared at each other for a split second, and followed aunt Hannah.

The R.M.S. Imperator immediately took everyone's breath away. The grand staircase was done in rich, white paneling. And the floors were beautifully carpeted. To either side of the ship was a staircase, and in the middle a vestibule leading into an unknown area. After being asked their names, a bellboy was summoned to help them. He had a thick German accent. In English he asked, "Room?"

"Oh, the room's are C-64 and… D-68? Oh no! I asked for C-68! That's a shame."

"Aw, that really is a shame." Jack smiled, and Rose elbowed him in the side with her free arm, slightly giggling.

Aunt Hannah sighed, not noticing Jack's sarcasm, "Well, give them the room on C-Deck, I'll go fetch another bellboy." And with that, she walked away, shaking her head.

July 21, 1913

"Nonsense! Jack, you go to the smoking room and socialize, we girls we'll get to know each other!" Aunt Hannah pushed Jack away from them. Rose held that calm, cool domineer and fake smile she wore best. "It's alright darling, go ahead." Jack sighed and walked out of the lounge.

Aunt Hannah came back to sit down. "Oh, isn't this wonderful, Rose! I will have to introduce-" aunt Hannah was cut off by two women. One being near Aunt Hannah's age, and the other being near Rose's. "Hannah!" aunt Hannah stood up with a great smile on her face, "Aleid, Margot! What a pleasant surprise! Come and sit!"

"I didn't know you were this ship!" Aleid remarked.

"Oh yes, were _are _my manners. Aleid, Margot, this is Rose Dawson. Rose, this Aleid and Alice Weiss, oh, I'm sorry. It's Gipp now, correct Alice?" The three women exchanged hello's and seated themselves. "Rose is my nephews wife. There're American. I can't keep up with that gallery any longer, my nephew heard of my woes and offered that he take over. He wouldn't take no for an answer," Rose noted right away that she Aunt Hannah decided to twist the story a bit. "oh, but enough of that, did you here about the De Vill's, dear? Jacob apparently told Mary that he couldn't, in anyway possible-"

Alice stood up, "Oh, please do forgive me, my baby is in the children's nursery. I must go check on him." Rose looked at her, and then also stood up, "Aunt Hannah, I should check on Thomas, too."

They both looked at the younger women as if they hadn't even realized they were there. "Oh yes, yes. We understand." With that Alice and Rose casually walked out of social hall, and into the first class entrance.

"I can't stand such talk. Gossip, it's absolutely ridicules. I don't care what 'Jacob told Mary'! Frankly, it's none of my business!"

"I know exactly what you mean, my mother used to do the exact same thing. It could be quite unbearable. Do you actually want to check our children?" Rose stopped in the middle of the staircase. "No, I rather not, actually. Come on, let's go to the Winter Garden, have you been there yet?"

"No, I haven't actually. The all the same aren't they. Nothing really ever mind-boggling, when you've been on as many ships as I have. My father used to bring me on business trips with him all the time."

"This is like nothing you've ever seen. Come on!" Rose smiled, it was nice to meet someone so enthusiastic and free. It reminded her of her self.

The Winter Garden was truly nothing Rose had ever seen before. It was and incredibly tall room topped with a large beautiful dome. One end of the room was lifted, and that part was the Ritz Carleton Restaurant.

"This room is incredible!" Rose was completely awed. It was if ship building had taken one giant leap. A man approached them and asked where they would like to eat, and how many. Alice answered, "A window seat, here in the Winter Garden. Just two.

July 22, 1913

2:20 A.M.

"Come Josephine in my flying machine, going up she go's, up she go's…" Rose cooed Thomas in her arms, her darling child. He had curly blond hair and bright blue eyes. A slight tear fell from her eye. She slowly closed them, and put her hand in her pocket, clutching onto something cold. She slowly pulled put the heart of the ocean, opening her eyes. The long trail of foam, coming from the ships propellers, laid eerily over the calm Atlantic. She tossed the diamond over the stern rail, and into the water. A cooling cross-breeze whipped her hair up, and ruffled the bottom of her pale night gown. She kissed Thomas' forehead, and gave a sad smile. She had made peace with the past.


End file.
